Apparatus for dyeing textile fabrics



Aug; 23, E932. J. A. FlRscl-HNG APPARATUS FOR DYEING TEXTILE FABRICS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 25. 1929 M gm( /y VEA/fora I V u o o o Aug. Z3, E932. .1. A. FERSCHENG APPARATUS FOR DYEING mmm FABRcs Au@ 23, @932- J. A. FERSCHENG Z? APPARATUS FOR DYEING TEXTILE FABRICS "led Sept. 25; 1929 3 SheeS-Shee 5 ,Tm R w E w Patented Aug. 23, 1932 JOSEPH A. l115IRSCit-IIQNG, 0F U'IIG, NEW YORK APPARATUS Foa DYEING mnxmrnn FABRos application fired september 2,3; 1929. seriai- No. 394,523.

This invention relates to an apparatus for dyeing textile fabrics.

In dyeing skeins of textile material which are to be knit into a finished fabric it is desirn'- 1, able for the purpose of producing a particu-` lar type of fabric to have the skeinsV dyed only in certain parts thereof so that when the fabric is completed the `.color will appear in the fabric onlyin isolated instances. rlhis type `of dyeing is known in thetrade as random dyeing and has in the .past been accomplished in diiferent ways, as for example, tying skein into a'knot and dipping it into a dye so that certain portions of the skein would be exposedsto the dye and certain portions would be protected from it. Another method is to touch the skein inter-A mittently with a dye as the skein is moved alongthedyeing apparatus.

.The limitations of the two just described methods of random dyeing and of all other methods known to the art are first, that they are limited to the use of one color and secf ond, that the portion of the skein which is dyed is dyed a uniform color, that is to say it is impossible Vto have parts of th-e skein more heavilydyed than other parts.

The main object of my invention is to ydevise a means for random dyeing which will permit the use of a multiplicity ofncolors on a single skein without having the different colors touch the same portion ofthe skein.

Y Another object is to devise a method of random dyeing which will permit the portion of the skein receiving the dye to be more heavily dyed in one vpart than in another.

o ther objects and advantages relate to the size-r shape and arrangement of parts of the apparatus here described, all as will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of my dyeing machine.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the machine.

Figure 3 is a section, partially broken away, on line 3 6, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section,'partially broken away, on line a-f, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5, Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-.6, Figure 1. Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7, Figure 1. Figure 8 is an elevation, partially broken away, of one of my operating levers taken in the plane of the line 8-8 of Figure 4. v 56 Figure 9 is an enlarged viewV similar to Figure .6, omitting the skein of fabric:

Figure 10 is a plan viewl of a piece offabric knitted from textile material which has been dyed by my apparatus, part only of the woof 60 threads being shown. l

Referring first tov Figures 2 and 4, my apparatus consists of an end frame 1 and Va sec-v ond end frame 2 in spaced relation thereto; The lower parts of end frames 1 and 2 are 651 held in fixed relation' by means of transverse tie rodsiS and 4.V Y

On the upper ends ofend frames 1 and 2, I secure, as by bolts 5 and 6, a header 7. Header Tis provided with a plurality, in this 7.0`- case shown as six, of longitudinally extending dye troughs 8. Above dye troughs 8, I provide a grille 9 preferably having openings 11-11 (see lFigure 1) non-uniform.

Grille 9 carries on its upper surface, a fac- 75 inglO preferably made of a material with some degree of inherent resiliency such as sponge rubber. y Y

The upper face of facing 1() is formed with beveled edges at each opening in grille 9 80 sloping downwardly thereto as perhaps may best be seen from Figure. 9.

Each of the dye troughs 8 has an inclined bottom, at the lower end of which is provided a filler funnel 12 beneath whichis positioned a drain or'dump valve 13. V-On each longitudinal edge of header 7, I provide a plurality, in this case shown as sixteen, vertically movable pins 14 inspaced relation and for a. purpose hereinafter to be described.

Pins 14 are carried by a supporting bar 15 and extend upwardly through apertures 18 in header 7 The construction and mode of operation of the actuating apparatus for pins 14 is the same for each set of pins so that a description ofv one will serve for a description of the other. Referring to Figure 3, it will bey seen that bar 15 carries a depending link 16 connected 133 to a bell crank 17 which is mounted on a shaft 18. The opposite end of bell crank 17 is connected by means of a link 19 to the lower end of a lever 20.

A laterally extending supporting arm 21 is secured on one side of header 7 as by rivets not shown and a complementary supporting arm 23 is secured to the other side of header 7, as by rivets 24.

A shaft 25 is journaled in arms 21 and 23. Lever is splined or otherwise secured on one end of shaft so that the `movement of lever 2O will cause a rocking movement of shaft 25, shaft 25 functioning as a pivot for lever 20.

On shaft 25 I provide a plurality, in this case shown as six, of laterallyl ext-ending fingers 26 so positioned that a finger 26 is adapted to contact with and close a drain valve 13 when the shaft 25 Vis rotated by means of lever 20.

I provide on lever 2() a laterally extending latch 27 carrying notches 28 and 29 which are adapted to engage a pin 30 which is carried on a vertically extending side bar 31. Side bar 31 has its lower end secured to supporting arm 21 and isheld securely in position by means of a brace 32 which extends diagonally downward and is secured to header 7 by rivets22.

In Figure 3, I have shown lever 20 in the vertical position with notch 29 in engagement with pin 30. In this arrangement of parts, fingers 26 will be in contact with valves'13 to hold such valves closed and supporting bars 15 carrying pins 14 are in the raised position, the pins extending upwardly above the upper surface of header Y When' the latch 27 is raised to permit the movement of lever 20, lever 20 is moved in- Wardly to bring the notch 28 in registration with the pin 30. Y

This movement of lever 2O will cause the rotation of shaft 25 and this movement of shaft 25 will carry fingers 26 downwardly and out of registration with valves 13 to permit such valves to open. This inward movement of the upper end of lever 2O will cause the outward movement of the lower end thereof which will, through link 19 cause bell crank 17 to be moved about its pivot 18 and this movement of bell crank 17 ywill through link 16 cause bar 15 to be moved downwardly carrying with it pins 14 to a position where the upper ends ofpins 14 are approximately flush with the upper surface of header 7.

I have here described only one bar 15, one link 16 and one bell crank 17, but it will be understood that the companion bar 15 on the opposite end of header 7 is provided with a link 16 and a bell crank 17 keyed to shaft 18, and inasmuch as bell crank 17 is also keyed toshaft 18 the movement of bell crank 17 through link 19 and lever 20 will cause the rotation of shaft 18 which in turn will cause the movement of bell crank 17 and through link 16 of plate 15.

For the purpose of guiding bar 15 in its vertical movement, I provide vertical bars 33 and 34 in spaced relation, the upper ends of such vertical bars 33 and 34 being secured to they under side of header 7 and their lower ends being secured to a cross bar 35 on the end frame 2.

A guide bar 36 has its upper end secured to the under surface of bar 15 and carries on its lower end, a laterally extending arm 37 slidably mounted on bar 33.

A similar guide bar 38 is secured to the under surface of bar 15 in spaced relation to bar 36 with a laterally extending arm 39 slidably mounted on bar 34.

liar 15 is provided with a similar guiding means consisting of vertical bars 40 and 41 with upper ends secured to the under surface of header 7 and with their lower ends secured to a cross bar 42.

A guide bar 43 is slidably mounted on bar 40` and has its upper end secured to the under surface of bar 15. An opposed guide bar 44 is slidably mounted on bar 41 with its upper end secured to the under surface of bar 15.

Referring to the vertically extending side bar 31, I provide a companion vertically eX- tending side bar 45 having its lower end secured to bar 23 and being held securely in position by a brace 46 which extends downwardly and inwardly from bar 45 and is secured to header 7 as by bolts 47.

The upper ends of bars 31 and 45 are tied together by means of a shaft 48 on which shaft 48 is rotatably mounted a pulley 49 for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

A U-shaped hinge bar 50 has the end of one arm pivotally mounted on bar 31 with a loose fit on its pivot. The opposite arm of hinge bar 50 is pivotally mounted on bar 45 with a loose fit on its pivot.

lSecured to the inner end of hinge bar 50 as by rivets 51, I provide a pressure plate 52 carrying a grille 53 of a size and shape to register with grille 9 on header 7. The under face of grille 53 carries a facing 54 similar in construction to facing 10 carried on grille 9 and having its edges beveled in opposite directions to the bevels on facing 10.

By virtue of hinge bar 50, pressure plate 5 2 may be raised and lowered with respect to header 7 and to assist in the raising and lowering movement of pressure plate 52, I provide a cable 55 having one end secured to the outer end of pressure plate 52 as by a clamp 56. Y

Cable 55 extends from clamp 56 to and over pulley 49 and is provided at its end with a counter weight 57.

Pressure plate 52 carries a pair of transversely extending bars 58 and 59y in spaced relation, bars 58 and 59 extending outwardly a short distance beyond the 'sides of header 7. For the purpose of holding pressureplate 52 securely in position on header'7, I provide on end barsl and 2, a similar combination of parts which may best be understood by referring to Figure 2 which shows the parts carried on end frame 1 andit will be understood that the parts carried Von end frame 2 are similar in construction andarrangement. i

rlhe parts just referred to are carried on and actuated through Va shaft 60 having one end journaled in end frame 1 and having its other end journaledin end frame 2.

Referring to Figure 2, I provide on shaft 60 and keyed or otherwise secured thereto, a link 61. Link 61 is operatively connected to a second vertically extending link 62 which link 62 is in turn operatively connected to the lower end of a T-shaped pressure equalizer 63.

On one-end of equalizer 63, I provide a pivotally mounted pressure link 64 adapted to be moved into and out of` engagement with bar 59.

On the opposite end of equalizer 63 and pivotally mounted thereon, I provide a similar pressure link 65 adapted to, move into and out of engagement with bar 58. i

Pressure link 64 is mounted in a U-slot in the end of equalizer 63 as is also pressure link On Figure 2 I show pressure links 64 and 65 `in heavy lines in engagement with bars 59 and 58 and'I show in dotted lines, pres'- sure links 64 and 65 disengaged from bars 58 and 59.

For the purpose of preventing the displacement of equalizer 63 when links 64 and 65 are out of engagement with bars 59 and 58, I provide a strap 66 (see Figure 5) which encircles equalizer 63 with its opposite ends secured to end frame 1 as by bolts 67.

On the opposite end of shaft 60, I provide a similar arrangement of parts comprising a link 68, link 69, equalizer 7 0 and pressure links 71 and 72 held in place by a strap 73.

On the end of shaft 60 adjacent end frame 2, I provide a vertically extending lever 74 having its lower end keyed or otherwise secured to shaft 60. On lever 74, I provide a latch 7 5 having a plurality, in this case shown as eight, notches 76 adapted to engage a bar 77 which extends laterally from header 7.

When it is desired to bring the pressure plate 52 into registration with header 7, pressure links 64, 65, 71 and 72 are placed into engagement with bars 58 and 59. f

Latch 7 3 is then moved out of engagement with bar 7'7 and lever 74 is moved upwardly and inwardly in the direction of the arrow on Figure 2. This movement of lever 74 lwill cause 'the rotation of shaft 60 which in turn will cause the outer ends ofA links 61': and 68 to be moved downwardly and this iny turn will, through links 62 and 69 cause the downward movement of, equalizers' 63 and 70. The downward movement ofgequalizers ,63 and will in turn,through links 64, 65, .71 and 72 pull pressure plate 52 downwardly against header 7. y Y

When `the desiredv amount of. pressure j-has been placed upon pressure plate 52,-latch7 5 ,f

is permitted to come into engagement with bar 77 to hold the parts in locked position.

When it is desired toraise the pressure plate 52 from header 7, the lever 74 is moved in the opposite direction which, through the rotation 'of shaft 60 andthe actuation of links 61, 62, 68, and 79, will cause equalizers 63 and 70 to be moved upwardly to permit links 64, y65., 71 and` 72 to be movedV out of engagement with bars58 and 59.

Whenvthe pressure plate 52 is moved vdownf wardly into contact with the header, 7,1the pressure between the two will be equalized throughoutthe contacting surfaces due to the fact that the hinge 50 is avloose i'it on its pivotspermitting a limited angular movement of pressurevplate 52 as the same is pulled downwardly by the pivoted equalizer 63 and 7'0.

Y Operation,

When it is 'desired to subject skeins vof textile material to thel dyeing operation, the lever 2O is manipulated in the manner" heretofore kdescribed to close -valves Y12"a'n`d to raise locating pins 14 and 14A above the sur-4 face of header 7 l The pressure plate 52 Iis then raised upwardly in the manner heretofore described tovexpose the upper face of header 7. Skeins of textile material indicated at `-a on Figures 6 Vand 7 are then placed on header 7 by looping: one" end of a skein around a locating pin 14 and looping .the other end of the skein around opposite locating pin 14.. The pressure plate is `then. moved downwardly and the pressure links 64, 65, 71 and 72 areplaced in engagement with bars 58 and 59. y

The lever 74 is then manipulated in vthe manner heretofore described to cause pressure plate 52 to be moved` downwardly against'header 7. l

This operation will vcause portions of the skeins of textile materialto be gripped'be-- tween thefacings 10 von header 7 andthe corresponding facings`54 on pressure plate Otherv portions of the yarn will be posi-4 tioned in the openings 1l, which openings 11 are incommunication with troughs 8.

Dye, preferably extremely hot, is then in; troduced into thetroughs 8 through the fill-I ing funnels 12 until the levelV of thejdye reaches the topof'theexfp'osed portions of :fino

the textile material which the openings 11. v l v :Additional dye is thenintroduced through the top of the openings 1l on to the top of the textile material there exposed. After the dye has been allowed lto remain in con'- tactwith the textile material for the desired length of time, the lever 2() is manipulated 'the mannery heretofore. described to open-valves 13 and retract pins 14 and 14". HAlthough I have not here shown anyparticular means for receiving the dye which will then be drained off from the troughs 8, it will be apparent that any convenient means `may be employed, either conduits or open receptacles or troughs, et cetera. j

Thepressure plate 52 is then moved upwardly out 'of contact with header 7 and the dyed skeins of textile material are removed from header 7 and the operation is repeated with additionall skeins of textile materials, if desired.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be noted that the openings 11 in trough 8 are in transverselyfstaggered relationl to the openings 11 in the next adjacent trough 8 and inasmuch as the skeins of textile material are positioned transversely of the header 7, the part of a skein which is over one trough 8 will be subjected to the action of the dye While the nextadjacent-portion of the same skein which is over the next/adjacent trough 8 will be protected 'from the dye.` j

Similarly, it is desirable to have the openings 11 so arranged that only a portion of that part of a skein which is over a particular trough 8 willbe subject to the action of the dyee s vThis lparticular arrangement of openings 11 in one trough 8 in relation to the openings 11 in the otherA trough 8 is not necessary but by using such lan arrangement a random dyeing-is obtained which will give a more desirbie effect in the finished fabric;

Referring to Figure 9, it will be noted that the faces ofthe facings 10 and 54 are in angular relation to each other. With this arrangement of parts, the portion of askein which is gripped between facings 10 and 54 will be gripped with increasing force from the' edge of the' openings 11 inwardly betwee'n'the facings 10 and 54. This being the case, the, dye in the openings 11 will affect, with diminishing intensity, the textile material'between suchfacings 10 and 54 and will finally be unable lto penetratebetween such facings so that portions of such textile material will be entirely unaffected by the dye.

This results in yarn which is dyed with the full intensity of the dye in one place, but which will be dyed with diminishing intensity so that therek will be obtained La fading out effect of such dyed ortion. I have shown in Figure 10, `as illustrative are positioned in dye whereas the striped portion 7 9 indicates that portion of the fabric which has been dyed, and it lwill be noted that such portions 79 are "dyed more heavily in the middleand gradually diminish at each end until the dyed portion stops.

It will be understood that with the apparatus here disclosed, a skein of textile material may be subjectedto the action of a single4 dye throughout the length of such skein if such is desired, but it will be also understood that it is Apossible to subject a single skein ofl textile material to as many differentv colored dyes as there aretroughs provided in the-dyeing' apparatus.

In the apparatus here disclosed there are shown six troughs 8 which weuld permit the use of six different colors on a single skein, but obviouslyv the apparatus lcan be constructed with a varied number of troughs so that as many different colors may be used as is desired.

It will also be understood that the facings lO-and 54 may be constructed to lie in parallel planes if the fading out effect in the finished fabric is not desired, although I prefer such fading out effect.

It will also be understood that modifications may be made in the specific means in which the skeins of textile material are subjected to the action of the dye without departing from the spirit of my invention, for although I have shown and described a specific structure and form and relation of parts as an exemplification of an embodiment of my invention I do not desire to restrict myself to the exact size, shape and arrangement of vparts of the apparatus disclosed nor do I desire to restrict myself to the precise way in which they skeins of textile material are subjected to the action of the dye, as various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a main frame, a plurality of troughs having inclined bottoms carried by the frame, a drain valve at the lower end of each trough, operating means for all of said valves, a plurality of pressure plates adjacent the upper edges of the troughs, a plurality of other pressure plates removably positioned in registration with the first named pressure plates, and means for vholding said plates in registration under pressure.

2. In a device of the class described, a main frame, a plurality of locating pins slidably mounted on the frame, means for reciprocating the pins vertically, a plurality of troughs carried by the frame, a plurality of pressure plates adjacent the upper edges of the troughs, a plurality ofother pressure plates removably positioned in registration With the lirst named pressure plates, and means for holding said plates in registration under pressure. Y

3. In a device of the class described, a main frame, a plurality of locating pins slidably mounted on the frame, means for reciprocating the pins vertically, a plurality of troughs carried by the frame, a plurality of pressure plates adjacent the upper edges of the troughs, a plurality of other pressure plates removably positioned in registration with the irst named pressure plates with parts thereof in angular relation thereto, and means for holding said plates in registration under pressure.

4, In a device of the class described, a main frame, a plurality of troughs carried by the frame, a drain valve for each trough, means for simultaneously operating the valves, a plurality of pressure plates adjacent the upper edges of the troughs, a second frame hingedly mounted on the main frame, a plurality of pressure plates on the second named frame adapted to be moved into and out of registration With the first named pressure plates, and means for holding said pressure plates in registration under pressure.

5. In a device of the class described, a main frame, a plurality of troughs carried by the frame, a valve in each trough, means for simultaneously actuating the valves, a plurality of pressure plates adjacent the upper edges of the troughs, a plurality of other pressure plates removably positioned in registration with the first named pressure plates, and means for holding said plates in registration under pressure.

6. In a device of the class described, a main frame, a plurality of troughs carried by the frame, a valve on each trough, means for hand. Y JOSEPH A. FIRSCHING.

simultaneously actuating the valves, a plurality of locating pins slidably mounted on the frame.y means for reciprocating the pins vertically, a plurality of pressure plates adjacent the upper edges of the troughs, a plurality of other pressure plates removably p0- sitioned in registration With the first named pressure plates, and means for holding said plates in registration under pressure.

7. In a device of the class described, a main frame, a plurality of troughs carried by the frame, a valve on each trough, means for simultaneously actuating the valves, a plurality of locating pins slidably mounted on the frame, means for reciprocating the pins vertically, a plurality of pressure plates adjacent the upper edges of the troughs, a plurality of other pressure plates removably positioned in registration with the first named pressure plates, in angular relation thereto, and means for holding said plates in registration under pressure. 

